The Niagara Area Foundation hosts 'Niagara County Solutions Forum: On-Ramps to Success'

by jmaloni

Submitted

Tue, Aug 26th 2014 01:15 pm

Forum will convene residents, local funders and the public
and private sectors to examine Niagara County's cradle to career pipeline

The Niagara Area Foundation
is convening a community forum on Sept. 18. The "Niagara County Solutions
Forum: On-ramps to Success" will bring together residents, local funders, as
well as business and civic leaders to discuss the connection between
educational preparation and workforce outcomes - known as the "cradle to career
pipeline." Through presentations, panel discussions and a facilitated dialogue,
attendees will identify and prioritize opportunities to collectively strengthen
the county's cradle to career pipeline.

The Niagara Area Foundation
recognized an opportunity to ignite a community conversation about Niagara
County's economic prosperity, which it said is directly tied to the education
and skills of its residents. The solutions forum will further examine how
education is connected to the workforce and the economic health of the region.

"The Niagara Area Foundation's
mission is to improve lives in Niagara County. As a foundation that represents
the whole of the county, our broad focus and role in the region is unique. To
that point, we understand that, by convening partners and working together, we
will have a greater impact," said Seneca Gaming Corp.'s Cathy Walker, solutions
forum co-chair. "By identifying ways to collaborate to strengthen the cradle to
career pipeline, we can help ensure a larger cross-section of our residents
have access to pathways to success."

By convening the solutions forum,
the Niagara Area Foundation is capitalizing on what it views as positive
momentum in Niagara County. Currently, there are multiple planning efforts
underway - at both a regional and a countywide level - that identify
opportunities for the county. By discussing and understanding the plans and its
findings, the solutions forum aims to serve as a link between those efforts and
the organizations and educational institutions that are working to drive
change.

The solutions forum is the second
community forum organized by the Niagara Area Foundation. In 2008, the foundation
convened nearly 100 residents to begin a community conversation about the needs
of the youngest Niagara County residents: infants and children up to 5 years
old. Ultimately, that convening resulted in the Early Childhood Quality
Improvement Project - a collaboration between the Niagara Area Foundation, Niagara
University, United Way of Greater Niagara, The Grigg Lewis Foundation and The
Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation - focused on enhancing the quality of
30 childcare centers through training for childcare providers and improved
curriculum.

Ken Franasiak, a Niagara Area
Foundation Council member, and CEO of Calamar, was instrumental in orchestrating
the first forum. He said of the 2008 event, "The Early Childhood Quality
Improvement Project is a resounding success, and the idea began during
conversations at the first Niagara Area Foundation convening."

"While we do not know the outcomes
of the Sept. 18 forum, our track record shows that starting the conversation is
the first step in bringing about change," he said. "We're confident that the forum
will lead to partnerships that make a significant difference for Niagara
County."

The "Niagara County Solutions
Forum: On-ramps to Success" will be held Thursday, Sept. 18, from 8:15-11:45
a.m. at Niagara County Community College (Student Center Building G, 3111
Saunders Settlement Road, Sanborn).

The Niagara Area Foundation was
established as a division of the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo in 2000
by a group of Niagara County individuals who work to provide support and
charity-oriented philanthropic initiatives for residents in Niagara County.
Members of the Niagara Area Foundation Council represent the whole of Niagara
County and are committed to countywide philanthropic efforts.